Kinsley Eselebor, a staff member of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for obtaining money under false pretences and using forged documents to defraud a land buyer. Justice A.O. Musa of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, jailed Eselebor on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after finding him guilty on all five counts charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The prosecution established that Eselebor, an employee of the FCDA's Department of Urban and Regional Planning, defrauded Moses Osinachi of money paid for two plots of land at Kubwa District Central Annex, Abuja. The properties, identified as Plots 383 and 424, were presented to the petitioner as genuine, despite Eselebor's lack of title to sell them. Eselebor used his position within the FCDA to convince Osinachi that the documents were genuine.
The charge was initially filed in March 2021 with three counts of obtaining money under false pretences. It was later amended to five counts, with counts one to three relating to obtaining money under false pretences and counts four and five concerning the use of forged documents as genuine to convince the petitioner of the authenticity of the land. The court found Eselebor guilty on all five counts and imposed the respective prison terms, directing that they run concurrently.
According to the evidence presented before the court, the petitioner and Eselebor were neighbours and worshipped in the same church. Their relationship, coupled with Eselebor's position as an FCDA staff member, reportedly strengthened Osinachi's confidence in the transaction. Eselebor used two conveyance documents bearing the names Yusuf Lawan and Adegoke Asiwaju to convince the petitioner that the properties were genuine.
Osinachi sought further confirmation of the authenticity of the plots, and Eselebor allegedly assured him that the documents were genuine, relying on his position within the FCDA. Based on these assurances, the petitioner transferred money from his company's account, Moscow International Services Limited, to Eselebor for the purchase of the two plots. The transaction later ran into difficulty when Osinachi attempted to take possession of the properties and discovered that Eselebor had no valid title to transfer to him.
When confronted, Eselebor reportedly admitted that he knew the properties had rival claimants and promised to find alternative plots for the petitioner. However, the promise was not fulfilled, and Osinachi demanded a refund of his money, but the matter remained unresolved as Eselebor's explanations continued to change. Dissatisfied with the development, he petitioned the EFCC, which investigated the allegations and subsequently arraigned Eselebor.
Reacting to the judgment, the EFCC's Director of Criminal Litigation and Prosecution counsel, Joshua Saidi, described the conviction as a deterrent to individuals involved in land racketeering and the use of fake documents to defraud unsuspecting property buyers. Saidi expressed concern that Eselebor's position as an FCDA employee had allegedly been used to inspire confidence in the fraudulent transaction, and questioned the implications of such conduct for public confidence.
Key points
- Kinsley Eselebor, an FCDA staff member, has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for land racketeering and using forged documents to defraud a land buyer.
- The conviction serves as a deterrent to individuals involved in land racketeering and the use of fake documents to defraud unsuspecting property buyers.
- Eselebor's position as an FCDA employee was used to inspire confidence in the fraudulent transaction, which highlights the implications of such conduct for public confidence.
